To make sure your coffee pot makes great coffee every morning, clean it often. If you don’t, you might find a brown ring at the bottom of the pot, caused by water minerals and lime. The inside of your coffee maker can also get dirty if not cleaned regularly. We talked to cleaning experts who gave us advice on how to clean a coffee maker to prevent this buildup and keep it working well.
How Often to Clean a Coffee Maker
Try to clean your coffee maker at least once a month to keep it running smoothly and to stop mineral buildup. “If you use your coffee maker every day, you should clean it more often, ideally every two weeks,” suggests Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean.
Materials Needed
Make sure you have these items ready when cleaning your coffee maker:
- Distilled white vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Bowl
How to Clean Your Coffee Maker
Cleaning your coffee maker usually takes about as long as making two pots of coffee.
- Empty any leftover coffee grounds and remove the filter.
- In the coffee pot, mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then fill the pot with water.
- Place the mixture into the water reservoir of your coffee maker.
- Start a brewing cycle.
- After the cycle finishes, fill the pot with fresh water and run 2 to 3 more brewing cycles to remove the vinegar taste.
- Make a paste by mixing baking soda with water in a bowl.
- Gently scrub the coffee pot with this paste using a sponge.
- Rinse the pot with warm water to ensure all baking soda is removed.
How to Descale a Coffee Maker
Scale or mineral buildup in your coffee maker can affect how it works and the taste of your coffee. While you can buy a special descaling solution, the simplest and most natural method is to use a mixture of water and vinegar. This process is similar to deep-cleaning your machine.
Here’s how to clean your coffee maker using vinegar:
- Mix equal parts of distilled vinegar and water in the coffee pot.
- Pour this vinegar solution into the water reservoir and start a brewing cycle.
- After the cycle finishes, throw away the solution.
- Run two or three more cycles with clean water to rinse out the coffee maker thoroughly.
Tips for Keeping Your Coffee Maker Clean for Longer
In addition to deep cleaning your coffee maker once a month with vinegar, it’s good to do a lighter clean after each use. This helps minimize buildup and keeps minerals out of your coffee, mainly to maintain a consistent taste. After making your morning cup, wash the coffee pot and filter with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue.